Talking spin-top.



E. T. BEACH.

TALKING SPIN TOP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I2, 1911.

1,285,595. Pdtented Nov. 26, 1918.

7V 7 I INVENTOR WITNESSS B QC/ U ATTORNEY EDWARD '1. BEACH, OF FREEPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

TALKING SPIN-TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented NOV. 26, 1918.

, Application filed March 12, 1917. Serial No. 154,269.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD T. 'BEAoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Freeport, in the county of Armstrong and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Talking Spin-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spinning tops and the like and aims to provide a device of this character having certain phonetic qualities calculated to occasion more frequent use and enjoyment of the same.

A further object is to provide a top having sound reproducing means contained within the body thereof but separable therefrom, said means adapted to operate upon the rotation of the top.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a top having interchangeable sound reproducing parts and means for supporting the top and its various parts in an upright I operative position.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the details of construction, arrangement and proportion of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described in the following specification, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the body portion thereof.

In constructing my invention, I provide a top body of hollow configuration and composed of separable sections 1 and 2. The lower conical-shape section 1 has provided across its enlarged end 3 a supporting brace or plate 4 having suitable bearing means for the standard 5 extending centrally through the top and upon which the latter is revolubly mounted. Suitable means may be provided about the periphery of the conical section 1 for the reception of a cord or string for rotating the top, or if preferred, the small sheave 6 may be provided at the lower end of the section as shown about which the cord may be wound. The upper section 2 is adapted to be secured to the lower sect1on 1 by any suitable means 7 such as a flange and constitutes what may be termed the sound chamber and amplifier of the musical tone reproduced within the top body. An opening 8 is provided at the top of the section 2 to permit the standard 5 to pass there- 'through, and a born 9 fast on the standard extends through the opening and leads outwardly from the sound chamber 10. The assembled top sections 1 and 2 are supported so as to rotate about the stationary standard 5 when motion has been transmitted to them by the use of a string or cord in the usual manner. The lower end of the standard is adapted to be releasably threaded in a supporting base 11, while at its upper end the standard carries suitable handle means' ing piece 15 having an enlarged opening 16 through which the arm 13 is inserted. To increase the efiiciency of the device and to add to the clearness of the tone reproduced by the sound box, a flexible conduit 17 connects the sound box to the amplifying horn 9. The sound box is provided with a needle or stylus 18 which travels in the grooves of a record disk 19 supported upon the plate 4. The record disk 19 is the same as now used on sound reproducin machines, being merely reduced in size to e accommodated within the to body.

From the a ove description it will be evident that to secure the operation of my invention, it is but necessary to place any desirable record upon the plate 4, adjust the sound box 14 and stylus 18 to the proper position, secure section 2 to section 1 and then wind a cord about the sheave 6. Upon holding the standard 5 in fixed upright position and causing the top body to revolve about it by the sudden unwinding of the cord, the record 19 will revolve beneath the stylus 18 causing the latter to agitate the diaphragm, consequently reproducing the sound represented by the record, which reproduced sounds are conducted to the amplifying horn 9 and thence to the ear. By

reason of the fact that the sound box is loosely mounted upon the rigid arm 13 it can readily follow the spiral grooves of the record so that a clear and uniform tone is reproduced. Itis also clear that in this invention, the record and stylus may be changed as frequently as desired by the operator. I v

In order to do either, the nut or base 11 at the lower end of the standard must be unscrewed and removed, after which the lower section 1 can be dropped off the standard entirely, and the record 19 removed and replaced by another. Now the operator can reach into the upper section 2 and replace the sound box 14 at its initial position on the arm 13; and thereafter the parts can be restored to their original position, and the top wound and spun again, the operator holding the handle 12 so as to preventrotation of the standard and the parts carried by it. After the body is set in motion, the operator may place the base 11 on a suitable support and release the handle 12 if he desires; immediately the sound otherwiseproduced will cease, because now the standard, the arm, and the sound box revolve with the rotary parts of the top, and the record is no longer drawn beneath the stylus. The top may be allowed to spin for quite a while, and then by grasping the handle and holding it for an instant, a sound or perhaps a word or a few words will be emitted. If the record has been appropriately made, the top might be allowed tospin silently as long as the handle is not grasped, but when it is the top will pronounce the words Let me alone! or similar expressions which would occasion much merriment'. This is but one example of the possibilities of which the invention is susceptible, and I do not wish to be limited in this or other respects.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The herein described talking top comprising a rotary hollow body, a phonographic record contained therein, a standard extending through the axis of said body and adapted to be held against rotation, and a sound box movably supported by the standard with its stylus in engagement with the record.

2. The herein described talking top comprising a rotary hollow body, a phonographic record contained therein, a standard extending through the axis of said body. and through an opening in its upper end, a horn fixed on the standard and leading out said opening, an arm carried by the standard, a sound box movably mounted on the arm with its stylus adapted to engagesaid record, and flexible connections between the box and horn.

3. A top body made of separable sections, a stationary support around which the body revolves, sound reproducing and amplifying means carried by said support, and record means carried by one of said separablesections.

4. A top comprising a rotary body, a stationary support therethrough, sound record supporting means arranged transversely within said body, and a sound reproducer carried by said stationary support and overhanging said record supporting means, said reproducer adapted to traverse said supa sound reproducer carried by said arm, and

means carried by the lower section of the top and mounted tov operate said sound reproducer upon the rotary movement of the top about the stationary rod.

6. The combination with a top formed of separable sectionsand having. record means provided therein, of a stationary rod passing through said top, a sound reproducer carried by said rod and engaging said record means, said sound reproducer adapted tobe operated upon movement of said record means about said stationary rod and amplifying means arranged to leadexternally of said top sections.

7. In a top thecomb-ination with a separable sectional casing, a stationary axis about which said casing; rotates, a record-disk positioned transversely within said casing, an

arm secured to said axis and overhanging said record-disk, and a sound reproducer engagingsaid d1sk, sa1d sound reproducer being mounted for slidable engagement with said overhanging arm. I

8. A top made in separable sections,a cross piece arranged over the widest portion of the lower of said separable sections and partitioning the upper section therefrom, said,

partitionedupper section forminga sound chamber for the top, an-amplifying horn leading outwardly fromsaid sound chamber, a stationary aXis for said sections, sound reproducer means carried by said axis and adapted for suitable engagement with any record means supported on said cross piece,

.and a flexible conduit connecting said sound reproducing means to said amplifying horn. 9. In; a talking top, the combination with a hollow body made. in sections separately connected, a support within the lower section, and a sheave around it, the upper section having an opening in its upper end; of a standard projecting axially and loosely through both sections and out the opening in the uppermost, its upper end having a handle, a removablebase on its lower extremity, a phonographic record adapted to be carrie'dby said support and rotated withthe body, and phonographic reproducing iao Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the be carried by said support and rotated with the body, an arm projecting radially and 15 rigidly from the standard, a sound box slidably mounted on said arm with its stylus adapted to engage said needle, and sound conveying means extending from said box out the opening in the upper section.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD T. BEACH. Witnesses Jnssn C. MOKEE, CARRIE MCINTYRE.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

